(SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) - Utah public schools grew by 2 percent, or 11,913 students in 2013, according to Oct. 1 school census data released today by the Utah State Office of Education. For comparative purposes, the United States Census Bureau estimates the 2012 population of Heber City at 12,260, so Utah public schools added approximately the equivalent population of Heber City in 2013. Utah public schools now have a total population of 612,551.

Charter schools account for 54,900 students, or 9 percent of Utah public school students, the census showed. Charter schools grew by 8.2 percent over the previous year. Nationally, charter school students account for 3.6 percent of public school populations.

Utah does not survey private schools for enrollment numbers. The most recent federal survey from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2009-10 estimated Utah’s private school enrollment at 18,038 or about 3.2 percent of public school enrollment which is well below the national rate of 9.5 percent.

Utah public schools reported parents or guardians sought homeschool exemptions for 8,586 students in 2012-13, giving Utah a home schooling rate of 1.4 percent. The most recent data from NCES in 2011-12 puts the national home schooling rate at 3.4 percent.

(SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) - Utah public schools grew by 2 percent, or 11,913 students in 2013, according to Oct. 1 school census data released today by the Utah State Office of Education. For comparative purposes, the United States Census Bureau estimates the 2012 population of Heber City at 12,260, so Utah public schools added approximately the equivalent population of Heber City in 2013. Utah public schools now have a total population of 612,551.

Charter schools account for 54,900 students, or 9 percent of Utah public school students, the census showed. Charter schools grew by 8.2 percent over the previous year. Nationally, charter school students account for 3.6 percent of public school populations.

Utah does not survey private schools for enrollment numbers. The most recent federal survey from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2009-10 estimated Utah’s private school enrollment at 18,038 or about 3.2 percent of public school enrollment which is well below the national rate of 9.5 percent.

Utah public schools reported parents or guardians sought homeschool exemptions for 8,586 students in 2012-13, giving Utah a home schooling rate of 1.4 percent. The most recent data from NCES in 2011-12 puts the national home schooling rate at 3.4 percent.